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But けれども

From most formal to least formal けれども keredomo けれど keredo and けど kedo.

although, though

けれども can be used as a conjunction to join two sentences. It goes after the verb or copula (です / だ) of the first sentence.

コンピューターは好きだけど、高いです。
konpyu-ta- wa suki dakedo, takai desu.
I like computers but they are expensive.

But ですが desu ga will be covered in a later lesson.

Fillers ええと

In English, we have our "um." in Japanese, they have their "eeto." This is the sound you make when you can't think of what to say, but want to say something!

何の動物が好きですか？
nan no doubutsu ga suki desu ka?
What animal do you like?

ええと・・・、ねこがすきです。
eeto..., neko ga suki desu.
Um..., I like cats.

Very とても

とても totemo, often written as とっても tottemo.

Sometimes mom's cooking isn't just oishii (delicious) it is VERY OISHII!

Add とても totemo before adjectives to say "very"

とてもおいしいです。
totemo oishii desu.
It's very delicious!

とても大きな木です。
totemo ookina ki desu.
It is a very big tree.

OTHER VERY WORDS

非常に hijou ni
超 chou (kind of slang - chou means "super-")

I think と思います

This goes at the end to show that you believe what you say, but are not 100% sure. It is also used to show one's opinion. If there is a desu change it to da which is the more casual form and add to omoimasu

1. The speaker is not totally sure of the accuracy of his info...

熊のプーさんは熊だと思います。
くまのプーさんはくまだとおもいます。
kuma no pu-san wa kuma da to omoimasu.
Winnie the Pooh is a bear, I think...

Next is an example of showing one's opinion. It is true for the speaker, but may not be so for the listener.

Making adverbs from adjectives

However i-adjectives and na-adjectives can be used other ways as well.

Adjectives at the ends of sentences.

クレイさんの車は赤いです。kureisan no kuruma wa akai desu.
Clay's car is red.

クレイさんは元気です。kureisan wa genki desu.
Clay is well.

In polite (~masu form) text both sorts of adjectives are used with です desu after them. With i-adjectives it is usual to have the adjective change, but the desu not changing. (前の車は黒かったです。mae no kuruma wa kurokatta desu. The previous car was black.)

In dictionary (plain) form i-adjectives need nothing after them at the end of sentences. (クレイさんの車は赤い kureisan no kuruma wa akai) but na-adjectives are more like nouns and have to have the plain copola だ da after them (クレイは元気だ。kurei wa genki da.)

Turning adjectives into adverbs

Both i-adjectives and na-adjectives can be turned into adverbs, that is used to modify verbs. Let's see how that works.